Identities are inherently intersectional, and you will soon be able to incorporate “student abroad” as one more aspect of your identity. As you consider applying to study abroad, we invite you to reflect on how the many ways you see yourself as a member of multiple, diverse, intersecting communities will be reflected and experienced when you travel abroad.
In addition to learning about yourself and your place in the world, studying abroad means learning about the diverse societal and cultural norms of your host country and other countries you may visit. As we look forward to your time abroad, you may find that you are seen and understood by individuals from your host country in a completely new context from how you see yourself, or how you are seen here on campus, in Miami, in your hometown/home country, or elsewhere in the United States. Encounters with new worldviews and perspectives can foster productive intercultural dialogues and greater opportunities for learning, but they can also be surprising, challenging, or even deeply unsettling. These experiences can be produce new insights that will allow you to grow, but they can also be stressful, so we urge you to prepare yourself and to prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
